Organ donation - a step too far?

I've also carried a donor card since they were introduced, I'm more than happy for any bits of me that could be useful to be taken.

It's a decision that should be made by the donor only - it's their choice, not anyone else's, family included. It's as easy for anyone to opt out now as it was to opt in previously, don't know if you get to carry a card though.

Organ donation - and the skills and knowledge to perform transplants - save lives and are only to be advocated.

I object, though, to being told that I'm automatically assumed to have given my agreement to donating my organs unless I opt out.

It makes me want to opt out just to make a stand. If I did that, though, I would make sure that my family knew that I don't actually object to my organs being used to save someone else, just to being told to do it!

MawB - you need to accept there are some people who will feel that way about the removal of their loved ones' organs. I used the term to express how they may see it. It's a shame that posters feel the need to tear into anyone who puts forward a different way of seeing things which does not agree with their views.

It’s not the opinion, it’s the words. You clearly have no concept of delicate surgery or are just being disingenuous.
Surgery is not hacking up and has not been since about the Crimean War.
Can’t you see that? ?

Chestnut its not the concept but the choice of phrase that offends. Would you use the same phrase to someone whose loved one has recently undergone post mortem examination? That's a situation where, if it's indicated, there is no choice. We can agree that it's hard to think of the body of a loved one being disturbed in any way.

Crossed posts MawB

Well said Maw!

Well I think that anyone who was dithering about it would see the OPs choice of words and will automatically think NO they will not let their deceased relatives be ‘hacked about’
A very bad choice of words, which might have consequences for a lot of people.
Not only organ transplantation, but very few operations would be carried out today without the generosity of donors who have left their bodies to Medical Science in the past.

It is up to the individual - right now - to say if they do not want their organs used in this way.

The family should not have the right to contradict this - whether the individual has opted in or opted out. It is not the family's right to ignore the individual's wishes.

People need to be responsible and make their wishes known and those wishes need to be respected either way.

Personally I see no difference from having my kidney or eyes etc removed after my death, to losing my kidney or eyes through disease when I am alive.

I agree wildswan16 well put.

Okay, it was a bad choice of words, even if that's how some people may feel. The level of condemnation on these threads is beyond the pale. I won't be posting on Gransnet again in case I upset someone.

I welcome this development. I’ve had a donor card for years since I signed up for it outside a supermarket !
When I got home home I told my then husband I had given my body To a man outside Sainsbury’s. He wasn’t amused.

I worry that even though you are "brain dead" you are still "alive"how do we know that the person cannot feel pain when they have their organs removed, they cannot say afterwards. This is my only fear with organ donation and is the reason I have opted out of the system. I'm not a hypocrite through. I would not accept an organ from someone else. To do otherwise would be double standards. I hope you all understand my decision.

I'm sorry but I really don't understand why anyone is getting their knickers in a twist about this. I started to carry an organ donor card when I was 18;as my mother had died much too young as her kidneys failed . I realised that donating organs after death saves many lives and after all , what good are they to me then ?
I'm afraid I am of the view that those who refuse to agree to donate shouldn't be able to receive , of course some people can't donate due to illness , but other than that I agree with the development .
I've left instructions that if possible my organs should be donated . I hope that my family would ask if it could be done before the staff broach the subject. they know my feelings on the matter.

Maw
What a wonderful gift someone unknown gave to Paw, and indirectly, to you. How lovely that he was therefore able to live to see his daughters married and four of his grandchildren born.

Today the law has changed. People who do not wish to be a donor must opt out. The majority will not opt out, but how many more organs will become available remains to be seen. I believe the family will still be consulted and their views taken into account. I’m happy to be corrected, but I think that many of us will be considered too old to be a donor. Organs that are already very old will probably not be considered to be much use for much younger people, but I may be wrong.

I have a younger friend who has been on the heart transplant list for a year or so. I was really surprised when she came out against this new law. She says she doesn’t want a new heart unless it was freely given as a gift. I hadn’t considered that aspect at all, of how the recipient might feel.

User 77 I’m Sure that you can check up on the procedure, but I think that they use anaesthesia just as they would for a normal operation during the removal of organs, so I don’t think that you would feel anything.

Septimia you'd be adding in a completely unnecessary complication that could result in someone not getting the help that you want them to have, just to make a point that most probably no-one will notice.

I don’t understand why anaesthesia would be used during organ removal. Surely if the person was dead, they couldn’t feel anything. Anaesthesia being used indicates that the person might possibly still be alive.

Well the body is certainly alive, even though the brain is dead.

Maddyone just googled it , lots of info about why they use anaesthesia .

From March 2021, there will be a similar opt-out system in Scotland.
(just googled it).

Why not ? I don't see a problem.

" Recycling " at its best.

It's a good move. I understand Septimia's objection but the opt out method banks on people not bothering to opt out because most people won't and organs are desperately needed.

The family of a deceased person WILL have a say, but if an individual specifically requests NOT to donate organs, that' sit. I think having to opt-out is better than signing up for organ donation. There have been fewer people opting to donate organs, so this new system is beneficial, wouldn't you think?